Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-08
POWDERLY ON THE ANaRCHuSTS.
His Vigorous Speech At Harrisburg i'm
Condemnation Of the Ned Flag.

The Knights OF Labor held meeting at Harris
burg yesterday, at which representatives OF all
the districts OF Pennsylvania were present The
purpose of the meeting to consider legislative
matters affecting labor. The feature OF the meet
Ing was an address by Grand Master Workman
Powderiy. He answered the charge that labor
delegates were working as lobbyists, stating that
the lobbyists were on the other side. Speaking OF
THE SHAM IN LEGISLATIVE BODIES,
ne SAID that demagogueS would he found "stand-
Ing on the floor or every house, aud they will say:
4 have 50 many men working In my district and
II don't do something for them they Will lay me
out 1or the next term. To do this they Introduce
Dill or bills that on their face look we'll enough
out when you go down beneath the surface you
VIII nnd them a piece of demagogy from begin
ming To END, and even II they passed which is
not generally the case they would be declared un-
constitutional at the next term OF the Supreme
passed first reading, or probably second reading,
and then the member introducing the bill will
turn his back on constituents, bill and ALL and go
out INTO the lobby and light his cigar and say: i
nave done my duty and The people can 90 to -
ior the rest That is not parliamentary language
put really must say it."
He gave statistics to show why the labor men had
arlSht 10 representation, and denounced the habit
common among legislators OF voting for each
otherS Dad bills by Way OF barter. In speaking Of
THE RESULT OF THE CHICAGO ELECTION
he said: 81 gratiiled TO see and hear that the
workingmen of that great city were good enough
to throw the lie back into the faces OF those who
posed as theil friends and representatives osooner
did The anarchist ticket go before the people than
through under the flag on whose face not one star
gllstens, not one stripe is to be found, and the
teachings OF such men as Powderiy and Griffths
Will nave no weight with u.s. But they found on
election day that anarchy was showed under as it
Was never showed under before, and l say
| amen TO that every time. lGreat applauSel did
| not know but what in the decoration OF this hall
you might forget to place the American Tag on
the wall Thursday; that it might be forgotten. I
N
derry exhibited flag amid tremendous applausel
and brought 1t here so that il we were charged
that We were not Americans that there was-I
don't care where was born, don't care where
the rest of you We're bOrn-that there was one who
swore by that flag and no other. IIIere Mr. Pow
derry presented the flag 10 NJ I. Burke or Carbon
dale, an old friend.l Let them tomorrow morn
ing, alter these outburstS OF applause, charge US
with being anyt thing else but free-DOrn American
citizens. and those manifestations which you
have now given expression TO VIII be The refuta-
ton Of that lie. which Will ring down the Gen.
tures IN condemnation OF the red flag.
Now, my brothers, we are here, and we will
stand or fall by the sentiments have given
utterance TO-. We are here as Americans to watch
American legislation in the interest OF the Ameri-
can people and In our American way, and also TO
say that those men who assembled 100 years ago
in the city OF Philadelphia and gave out the
Declaration OF Independence TO the world were
right when they declared that all men were
created free ana equal and endowed with certain
lnalienable rights, and that We believe they told
the truth, and that it still continues to be the
truth instead OF living lie, some or these men
would have people believe. [ApplauSe.l We can
do this without being anarchists and do tt without
becoming parttSans and without being tied TO the
Chariot wheels OF either the Old democratic or re.
publican party. GApplauSe.l
THE KNIGHTS STAND CLEAR OF ANARCHY.
At the evening session MI. Powderly spoke again
saying: 81 am here TO say that nothing Of anarchy
finds an abiding place In our organization or ever
will. The anarchist would like to have 1t sos His
twin, the monOpoliSL would like TO make it
appear so. But il is not so; we have always what
ever our mistakes stood clear OF anarchy. We
favor neither the methods OF the anarchist nor
those OF the monopoliSt. We favor the working
man doing everything and anything that is iegiti-
mate to further his interests under the Laws OF the
country"